Drill team tryouts are an extensive process of learning routines, practicing techniques, and performing in front of a set of judges.

On Wednesday, March 4, a number of girls competed for a spot on the 2015-2016 Golden Girls dance team. The process included the girls going to a clinic for two nights before tryouts.

This clinic is where the girls learned the dance that they performed in front of a panel of judges. “The girls learn a technique portion with leaps and turns, and then they perform a dance,” Gail Holder, Golden Girls coach, said.

The technique portion of the dance is shown to judges separately, and the girls perform the dance routine in groups of three or four.

For the separate freshman team, tryouts occurred on the same day and with the same judges. However, the freshmen girls tried out separately and only with other freshmen.

Even though the tryout process is extensive, the process of becoming an officer is even more extensive. Girls interested in becoming officers, including for the freshman team, have to complete a separate application.

They participate in an interview with Holder or for freshmen, Carrie McIlwee, freshman drill team coach.

In addition to an application and interview, the girls interested in becoming officers choreograph a routine and teach it to the rest of the team. “The application, interview and choreography all together determine who will be officers for the 2015-2016 school year,” McIlwee said.

After all of the work and sweat put into preparing for the extensive process of drill team tryouts, approximately 52-53 will be on the 2015-2016 Golden Girls drill team.